Train automatic air connecter



May 7, 1935. J, J. WEBER 2,000,725

TRAIN AUTOMATIC AIR CONNECTER l Filed May 2l, 1934 2v Sheets-Sheet l May 7, 1935. J. J. WEBER TRAIN AUTOMATIC AIR CONNECTER 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 21, 19:54

Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PTENT' TRAIN AUTOMATICAIRUONNECTEB VJay Weber, Tulsa, Okla.. f Application May 21,11934,seria1 No. 726,807

The invention relates to an air coupling or connecter and more` especially to anautomatic aircoupling or connecter. for theyfair lines. of freight and passengervcars.

The primary object 4of the invention is the provisionof a couplingor connecter-of this char,- acter, wherein theexpenseof rubber hose for making the connection between ,air-A. lines of rollingstock isentirely eliminated, as well as avoiding 'leaky trainwlines which results in pulled-out,K draw Yhars and flattened wheels, the coupling or connecterrbeing ofnovel construction. f

Another object of the invention is'sthe .provisionvl of a couplingor connecter of this4 character, wherein the air ,Y lines' of trains, either freight or passenger cars, can Vbeyautomatically Vconnected on the coupling of such ca rs and avoiding the necessity of a person going between' or in and under the ,cars for the coupling or connection of the air lines thereof, thezcoup'ling or connecter being automatically operated.

A further object of the inventionis the pro-` vision of a coupling or connecter of .thischarf acter which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in itspurpose,

eliminating manpower for the couplingV of the air lines of the cars of a train, strong, durable, selffadjusting, and inexpensive to manufacture and install. Y y f p ,p

With these and other objects in view-the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of partsraslwill be hereinafter more fully describedy in detail,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in thegclaims hereunto appended.

. In the accompanyingdrawings: l

Figure l-is a fragmentaryside elevation showing the coupling ends of cars with theautomatic air coupling or connecter constructed in accordance with the inventicnthereon, thercoupling or connecter being separated. ,I

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure lvshowing the cars coupled and the air couplingV or yconnecter joined. Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 5looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5V is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through the coupling or connecter.

34 and the eye or yoke 35 being of wedge forcars, these ends beingprovided with the usual l0 car couplings C, they being no part of 'the/"presy ent invention and 4.each being of conventional type.. y i I ij Supported at the coupling end B of each car Vare the mating parts Dv ofV the air. coupling. or 15v Y connecter constituting the presentinvention and hereinafter fully described Y t Each part D comprises a tubular stem I0 having `in opposite sides thereof the elongated slots Il, these being matched with eachother and receiving a crossguide pin I2 detachably fitted in spaced brackets 4I3 fixed to the coupling endY B of the car to be depending therefrom. The stem I8 is `formed at its outer end with a later#- allyangled head I4 havingan internally shoul- 25 dered circular opening` I5, the shoulder I6 constituting a' seat for a retaining ring I'I accommodatingf therein a substantially half-ball fitting =I8, the ring I'I being detachably retained by `fasteners I S engagedthrough the head I4 and 30.

screwedinto saidrring I 1.

VV-Ihreadedinto lthe half-ball flttingdr is a nipple 420 having a' skirty 2l overhanging an annular vflange 22 on the ring I1, the nipple r20 being joined with the nozzleV 23l of a universal joint 24on an airk pipe 25 which, by the universal joint 26, is connected withthe swingingv section 2'I hinged at 28 toa union 29 of the air line 30 of the car B, the half-ball .fitting I8 being provided with a'central opening 3|.

In the half-ball fitting' I8, at its fiat side 32-y is engageda resilient gasket 33'surroundingthe centeropening 3l in said fitting so'that when theheads I4 `ofboth parts D are brought vtogether there will be effected a fluid-tight joint between'the fittings I8 so that the air line, on the coupling of the cars B, will be open through the fittings I8 without liability of leakage at the joint therebetween.

Formed on each head I4 is a guide nose 34 and rearwardly `of the latter is a receiving eye or yoke 35 so that the nose 34 on one part D 4 will be received by the eye or yoke on the other part D of the coupling or connecter, each nose oFFicE' mation, whereby when the sai-d eyeV` or' yoke 35j receives its companion nose 34 the fittings I8 will be forced toward each other or together to eiect a tight joint therebetween, the gasket 33 being effective to assure a fluid-tight joint be-r .spring also urges, under tension, the parts D toward each other in the automatic operation of the air coupling or connecter.V

Engaged with each part D -is -a ychain 131, the same being also connected toy a bracket 38 .on the end B of the car and this chain limits Vthe outward movement oi the ,Apart D Aunder the action of the spring 36 When the ends .B of adjacent cars are uncoupled and movedapart 'with respect to each other. Y

It should be apparent that Awhen the ends B of the cars adjacent each otherV are coupled, the parts D 'of the air :coupling v.or connecter will interlock or intert with each other, bringing the fittings i8 into matched relation to yeach other with a sealed Yjoint therebetween tand Ain this position intercommunication'is had between the air lines 30 on'the respective cars so that the train air line is completed and open whenA the cars are coupled with each other.

,The-'hinge 28 may beV constituted as a cutoff valve so that when the part D of the Vcoupling or connecteris in its outermost-,position the` air from the line 30 is cut off thereto and on the bringing together of the parts D of Vthe coupling or connecter the valve at the "hinge 28 will open for the intercommunication fof .the air lines of the respective cars or the opening of the train air line.

The nose 34 of each part D and the feye ior yoke 35 are formed with companion at faces l38 lto assure a tight interlocking of the nose 34 on one'part D with the `eye or yoke `35 .ony

the other .part D of 4the coupling or connecter. Y

The tensioning of theV parts D vassures anzairtight connection therebetween on the bringing together of the said parts lD under the fautomatic action of the coupling or .connecter when the cars-B are coupled with each other.. The half-ball ttings I8 are 4free for oscillationiin the retaining ring l1 to assure a perfect joint between said ttings and also to ,permit lplay for the successful coupling vof the parts D as well as under conditions -incident to the travel of `the cars. f

What is claimed is: Y

1. A coupling of vthe character "described-'comprising a pair of heads 'having stems, ithe heads being laterally angled with relation to '.thefstems, means for, suspending the stems beneath 'the coupling ends .ci cars 'for the 'slidable displacement ofV said stems, means for tensioning `the stems,Y half-ball rfittings movably `held :in the heads for engagement Witheachother, tapered guide noses `on the heads, .eyes on said heads receiving the said noses and having itapered formations corresponding to the latter for the bringing together of the half-ball fittings, retaining rings seated in the heads for the halfball fittings, nipples carried by the fittings and movably locked with the rings, and air line connections with said nipples.

2. A coupling of the Vcharacter described comlprising a pair of heads having stems, the heads being laterally angled with relation to the stems, means-for suspending vthe stems beneath the coupling endsI of -cars for the slidable displacement of said stems, means for tensioning the fstems, half-ballv fittings movably held in the heads for engagement with each other, tapered guide Inoses on the heads, eyes on said heads ,receiving `the said noses and having tapered formations corresponding to the latter for the bringing together -of the half-ball fittings, retaining vrings seated in the heads for the halfball fittings, nipples carried by the fittings and movably locked l-with the rings, air .line aconnections with said nipples, and resilient gaskets counte'rsea'ted iin confronting :faces of the ,halfball fittings and contacting `with Aeach other l,on the bringing together of said ttings.

t3. -A coupling ci the character describedcom prising p'airlof heads, Aeach having transversely slotted stems,^the heads vbeing laterally-angled with 'relation 4'to the stems, hangers vdepending Vlrom beneath the coupling ends of cars and having cross pins received in said slots inthe stems l`'for sliding 'movementof Isaid stems, means active against the cross pins and heads fortensioning the stems, ihalf-ball A'fittings movably held in the headsfor engagement with yeach other, tapered guiding noses 4on the heads, eyes on said heads receiving said noses and yhaving tapered iorma'tion's corresponding to the latter for the bringing together `of the '-halfball nt- Ytings, :retaining rings seated in 'the heads for the 'half-ball riittings, nipples carried by the iittings `and movably llocked with -the rings, and air line yconnections lwith said nipples.

f4. LAcoupling of the character described comprising a fpair of heads, each having'transversely slotted stems, -the heads being laterally angled with relation to the stems, vhangers depending from beneath the coupling ends -of 'cars and having cross pins received in said slots in the stems for sliding movement `of said stems, means active against the lcross vpins and heads 4'for tensioning the stems, halfball ttings movably :held in the 'heads for engagement with eachother, tapered guiding noses on the heads,

eyes on said-'heads 'receiving said noses and 

